Jeb Bush calls Pope Francis' comment on Trump 'inappropriate'

In Jeb Bush's opinion, Pope Francis had no business questioning Donald Trump's faith just because he supports a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
"I don't think [the pope] helped anybody by saying Donald Trump's not a Christian," Bush said during a Friday interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe. "I don't think he should be interjecting himself into the political arena. I thought it was probably inappropriate for the pope to intervene in the height of a contested primary this way."
Trump has also criticized Pope Francis for his remarks, calling the Argentine pontiff "disgraceful" on Thursday after he said a person like Trump who "thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not of building bridges, is not Christian." Bush, however, says he would not have gone so far as to question another man's faith. "I don't question Donald Trump's Christianity," Bush said. "That's between him and his creator."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Jack Draper: can Britain's Wimbledon hopeful unseat Carlos Alcaraz?
In the Spotlight 'Volcano of emotion' smashes his racket during defeat in Queen's semi-final but world No.4 shows 'fighting spirit'
-
Crossword: June 23, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
How far would Russia go for Iran?
Today's Big Question US air strikes represent an 'embarrassment, provocation and opportunity' all rolled into one for Vladimir Putin
-
Southern Baptists endorse gay marriage ban
Speed Read The largest US Protestant denomination voted to ban same-sex marriage and pornography at their national meeting
-
Prevost elected first US pope, becomes Leo XIV
speed read Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost is a Chicago native who spent decades living in Peru
-
Pope Francis dies at 88
Speed Read 'How much contempt is stirred up at times toward the vulnerable, the marginalized and migrants,' Pope Francis wrote in his final living message
-
Pope returns to Vatican after long hospital stay
Speed Read Pope Francis entered the hospital on Feb. 14 and battled double pneumonia
-
Texas megachurch founder charged with sex crimes
Speed Read Robert Morris, former spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, is accused of sexually abusing a child
-
Pope Francis suffers setback with respiratory episodes
Speed Read The 88-year-old pope continues to battle pneumonia
-
US Christianity's long decline has halted, Pew finds
Speed Read 62% of Americans call themselves Christian, a population that has been 'relatively stable' for the past five years
-
Pope Francis hospitalized with 'complex' illness
Speed Read The Vatican says their leader has a respiratory infection, raising new concerns about his health